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U-M CREDIT UNION DONATES $5,000 TO GIRL SCOUTS WITH HELP OF MORE THAN 20 LOCAL BUSINESSES

U-M CREDIT UNION DONATES $5,000 TO GIRL SCOUTS WITH HELP OF MORE THAN 20 LOCAL BUSINESSES

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (February 12, 2018) – Local girls from limited resource families will have the opportunity to become Girl Scouts thanks to a recent donation of $5,000 to the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) from the University of Michigan Credit Union (UMCU). This gift was made possible with the help of 21 local businesses during UMCU’s “Shop Local Give Local” campaign, and according to GSHOM, will go towards supporting their Outreach Program.

Throughout the months of November and December, UMCU matched and donated one percent of the total sales to Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, when members made purchases with their UMCU Visa credit cards at participating stores. As the only locally based credit union, the purpose of this campaign was to give back by inviting UMCU members and the community to help make a positive impact during the holiday season.

“Our foremost priority is always to support and create experiences for our girls at Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan that will enrich their lives and ensure a healthier and happier future for every person. Thank you to UMCU and all of the stores that participated in Shop Local Give Local for your help in providing our girls with any environment for these life-changing opportunities,” said Jan Barker, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan.

“Underground Printing and the Bo Store were excited to participate in another year of the Shop Local Give Local campaign. It’s been a great, easy way for us to further engage with local customers and give back. We hope these donations will further help the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan in their mission to support and empower young girls and women in our community,” said Gloria Coon, Underground Printing and The Bo Store.

In addition to vendors’ enthusiasm about encouraging UMCU members and the community to shop local, many vendors joined Shop Local Give Local due to the personal connection they already have with the Girl Scout organization.

“UMCU’s Shop Local Give Local is a great campaign and we’re really happy to be a part of it. For decades, we’ve supported all local charities, and we’re always happy to help the Girl Scouts whether it’s encouraging them to set up tables in front of our store, or through this promotion. That’s what being a local merchant is all about,” said Ed Davidson, Bivouac.

This is the second year UMCU has raised money for a local charity through its Shop Local Give Local campaign. Last year, this campaign helped alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes in the community as UMCU, with the help of 14 local vendors, donated $5,000, equivalent to 15,000 meals, to Food Gatherers.

“We built on the success from last year to create a brighter future for local Girl Scouts with this year’s Shop Local Give Local campaign. UMCU is the only locally-based credit union and because of that, we focus our philanthropic efforts on making a difference in our community. Thank you to all of our members and the local vendors who supported this campaign and helped bring this donation to fruition,” said Julie Wigley, UMCU Vice President of Talent and Brand Development.

To increase involvement with this year’s Shop Local Give Local campaign, UMCU added an encouraging twist for members. In addition to contributing to the donation, every time members used their UMCU Visa credit cards at the partner stores during the promotional period, they were entered to win UMCU’s Shop Local Give Local $5,000 Grand Prize. Alia Wesala was the lucky grand prize winner.

“I love Ann Arbor and love what UMCU’s Shop Local Give Local campaign is doing for my community: creating ‘wins’ all around for local businesses and organizations like the Girl Scouts. And this year, I was lucky enough to be a winner too,” said Wesala, UMCU member.

For more information about Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan visit: www.gshom.org